Kristen Stucker

 
Dear Ann M. Martin,

When I read your book, Here Today, I could not stop reading it. When all the kids in Ellie's class smashed Ellie and Holly to the walls, it was shocking and a rude awakening to the world around me. l can't imagine anyone being so mean. That made me think about all the kids at my school who bully or are bullied. The thought made me take action.

The character Ellie taught me how horrible it is to be picked on in school. Ellie changed me because I took action, and the next day at school I saw a girl wandering around by herself. I went up to her, and asked her to play. Tammy was elated and we played on the swings all recess. That just warmed my heart to see the younger girl's face light up. I was glad I read your book.

I had never thought about how terrible it might feel to be picked on, or have no friends. I was never the one who picked on others, but I wasn't picked on either. I never did wrong, but I never did right because I never put a stop to it. I see kids getting bullied and picked on everywhere at school, I just have never noticed it. I will now notice kids that look like they feel lonely and always take action to include them.

As I continue to move through school, I will always look at the kids at my school in a different way. Lonely kids that I would usually never notice, I will now always notice. I want to thank you for writing this book and opening my eyes.